SWINDON Town still owes £170,000 in rent and business rates and it has told the borough council that a post-dated cheque it handed over will bounce if it is banked.

The football club has asked the council for time to sort out a new board of directors before making arrangements to pay.

It is the latest instalment in a saga that has seen the club stall payments on several occasions.

In August the club missed its self-imposed deadline to start reducing its rent for the County Ground. The sum then stood at £87,000.

It finally agreed to hand over a cheque for £62,000 to help pay the outstanding amount.

It was post-dated November 30, but in the meantime former chair-man Danny Donegan has gone and the club is effectively rudderless until a new board is appointed.

The rent debt, which dates back to February, has now risen to £106,000.

The club also owes £65,000 in business rates and another £1,700 in other debts. Swindon Town chief executive Peter Rowe is the man responsible for keeping the club going until a new board is appointed.

The former administra-tion was forced out after the High Court ruled it had no mandate to rule the club.

It will be replaced at a meeting on December 7 by a new consortium including former chair- man Cliff Puffett.

In a letter to council director of resources Ian Thompson, Mr Rowe says: "There is presently no board of directors to authorise the outstanding payments due.

"I understand you have in your possession a post dated cheque for £62,000 dated November 30, 2001.

"I am writing to advise you that the account this cheque was drawn on has been closed as a result of the court decision and new accounts and mandates are currently being set up."

He has asked the council for the chance to draw up a new payment plan once the new board is in place on December 7.

The situation will be discussed at tomorrow's cabinet meeting, which will be chaired by council leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns)

Coun Bawden said: "The problem we have is that we are now owed more than £170,000.

"The club may be short of money but so are we. We shall be asking for the new board to sort this situation out at the earliest opportunity."